Americans United - Israelhttps://www.au.org/tags/israel
enFischer Foul: Far Right Hate Group Demotes Fringe Radio Host Ahead of Israel Triphttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/fischer-foul-far-right-hate-group-demotes-fringe-radio-host-ahead-of-israel
<a href="/about/people/ms-sarah-jones">Sarah Jones</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow broke the news that Fischer is out of a job—one of them, at least. He’s been demoted, and will no longer serve as AFA’s spokesman, although he gets to keep his radio show.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>Perhaps you’ve heard of Bryan Fischer who, until recently, held a top spot at the American Family Association (AFA).</p><p>In fact, it’s slightly more likely you’ve heard of Fischer than you have his employer, at least by word of mouth. He likes to make an impact and in this endeavor he certainly succeeds. Right Wing Watch <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bryan-fischer-clarifies-gay-activists-are-satans-prisoners-war">reports</a> that just this week, he claimed on his radio broadcast that LGBTQ people have been “taken captive” by Satan himself. </p><p>Until yesterday, Fischer made these claims with the AFA’s full backing. But last night, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/bryan-fischer-fired-ahead-of-rnc-israel-trip-390575171843">broke the news</a> that Fischer is out of a job—one of them, at least. He’s been demoted, and will no longer serve as AFA’s spokesman, although he gets to keep his radio show.<br /><br />So what compelled the AFA, which has been labelled a <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/american-family-association">hate group</a> by the Southern Poverty Law Center, to restrict Fischer’s platform on their behalf? Pragmatism.</p><p>As MSNBC <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/afa-ousts-bryan-fischer-group-spokesperson">reports</a>, the AFA and the Republican National Committee (RNC) are co-sponsoring a trip to Israel. A number of Republican luminaries, including RNC head Reince Priebus, are participating in the trip. They didn’t seem troubled by Fischer’s record. Israeli officials, however, felt otherwise.</p><p>You see, Fischer is fond of claiming that gay people are responsible for the Holocaust. In 2013, he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/gay-rights-nazis-bryan-fischer-_n_3862548.html">insisted</a> that the Nazi Party “began in a gay bar in Munich” and that Hitler employed “homosexual stormtroopers” to enforce his regime. He has also <a href="http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2010/05/9011/">endorsed</a> Scott Lively’s <em>The Pink Swastika</em>, which asserts that LGBTQ people orchestrated the Holocaust. As Sarah Posner noted at Religion Dispatches, Fischer has <a href="http://religiondispatches.org/bryan-fischer-out-at-the-american-family-association/">worked extensively</a> with Lively.</p><p>A note on timing: Holocaust survivors marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Tuesday.</p><p>So Fischer is demoted, and the AFA-RNC Israel trip is on. He’s still working as a radio host for the group, still drawing a salary and still enjoying a public platform on their behalf. It’s evident that the AFA’s leadership isn’t really that repelled by his views. They’ve had years to take action against him, but only did so when he threatened their political connections.</p><p>His greatest hits could fill a book, so here’s a brief summary: Fischer insists that President Obama (a favorite target) <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/20/obama-gay-christian-bryan-fischer-_n_6509366.html">is a Muslim</a>, not a Christian, and that he is also racist against white people. He’s <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bryan-fischer-obama-and-holder-are-racists-and-anyone-who-calls-someone-racist-liar">made similar statements</a> about outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder.<br /><br />And let us not forget the ladies. “Women are not wired, either by evolution or by God, whoever is responsible for this difference, they are not prepared by DNA and innate personality characteristics to be in those positions,” he <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/02/15/426467/byran-fischer-women-are-not-prepared-by-dna-to-serve-in-combat/">once said</a> of women in combat. (The Pentagon <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/18/politics/women-combat/">disagrees</a>.)</p><p>Fischer shouldn’t have been demoted. He should have been fired. And the RNC should refuse to partner with the AFA until that happens. That goes for La. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), too; Jindal recently appeared at an <a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/the_response_jan_24.html">AFA-sponsored prayer rally</a>.</p><p>It is unconscionable that elected officials are willing to compromise the integrity of their positions by working alongside a group that employs a man like Bryan Fischer. His views are totally antithetical to the founding principles of American democracy; they are incompatible with true religious freedom and with a modern understanding of human rights. The sort of theocracy for which he campaigns should be roundly condemned, not tolerated in the name of political expediency.</p><p>It’s time for Fischer to go—for good. </p></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/descriptions-and-activities-religious-right-groups">Descriptions and Activities of Religious Right Groups</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/bryan-fischer">Bryan Fischer</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/israel">Israel</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/lgbt">LGBT</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/american-family-association">American Family Association</a></span></div></div>Thu, 29 Jan 2015 17:23:51 +0000Ms. Sarah Jones10835 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/fischer-foul-far-right-hate-group-demotes-fringe-radio-host-ahead-of-israel#commentsCivil Marriage And Religious Law: How The Lesson From Cyprus Applies To Mainehttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/civil-marriage-and-religious-law-how-the-lesson-from-cyprus-applies-to
<a href="/about/people/bathija">Sandhya Bathija</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>It appears Cyprus is to the Middle East what Las Vegas is to the United States.</p>
<p>Well, sort of. Just as Sin City has become the destination for many American nuptials, Cyprus apparently has a booming wedding industry as well – but for a completely different reason.</p>
<p>According to today's <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/oct/21/interfaith-couples-go-to-cyprus-to-wed/"><em>Washington Times</em></a>, "In the Middle East, civil marriage doesn't exist, and no religious authority will officiate an interfaith wedding. Lebanon and Israel recognize civil marriages so long as they are performed abroad, and the closest venue is Cyprus, 150 miles from Lebanon and 230 miles from Israel."</p>
<p>The article tells about many interfaith couples who have made the trip to get married on the island, which is also the reported birthplace of the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite. Last year, 523 couples from Lebanon and 1, 533 from Israel were married on Cyprus.</p>
<p>In both countries, clerics decide who gets married. In Israel, rabbis control marriage and divorce, arguing that same-faith marriages are vital to preserving religious beliefs, particularly because "Jewishness" passes only through the mother.</p>
<p>A similar argument is made by religious leaders in Lebanon.</p>
<p>"For us, a person who has a civil marriage is like a person who is committing adultery," the Rev. Joseph Abdul-Sater told the newspaper. Abdul-Sater is a Maronite Catholic priest and religious judge.</p>
<p>"The marriage is the sacrament, while civil marriage is a contract," he continued, "and for that reason, it is considered cohabitation."</p>
<p>But those seeking to marry outside their faith feel discriminated against by their countries.</p>
<p>"Who is ruling the country?" a Lebanese groom asked. "In a way, it's the religious parties. Not separating the church from government from the beginning...this is the biggest problem."</p>
<p>He's definitely got that right. We're fortunate to live in a country that constitutionally mandates church-state separation. That's why people of different faiths can easily marry each other in the United States. Our country cannot deny a marriage certificate to interfaith couples – that would clearly be mixing religion with civil law.</p>
<p>It seems so easy to come to that conclusion with regard to interfaith marriage. That's why it confuses me that when it comes to same-sex marriage, some religious leaders believe it's their job to forbid it.</p>
<p>For <a href="http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/9224/Default.aspx">example</a>, in Maine, the new battleground over same-sex marriage, Roman Catholic bishops have aligned with evangelical Protestants to promote Question 1, a referendum on November's ballot that would repeal a law permitting same-sex couples to marry within the state. (At the same time, progressive Protestant and Jewish leaders have taken the opposite stance, forming a coalition to rally for same-sex marriage.)</p>
<p>In a country that prides itself on religious liberty and welcomes those of all belief systems, why should civil marriage law be forced to conform to the teachings of the majority faiths?</p>
<p>While religious denominations can make their own rules about marriage in keeping with doctrines and dogma, those rules should not translate into civil law. The Constitution forbids government to make laws respecting an establishment of religion, and that should include laws regulating marriage.</p>
<p>Marriage laws ought to reflect equal protection for all citizens, regardless of their beliefs about religious faith.</p>
<p>If that wasn't the case, Cyprus would have to make a lot more room for some angry American tourists.</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/cyprus">Cyprus</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/israel">Israel</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/lebanon">Lebanon</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/maine">Maine</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/marriage">marriage</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/question-1">Question 1</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/same-sex-marriage">same-sex marriage</a></span></div></div>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:32:24 +0000Sandhya Bathija2396 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/civil-marriage-and-religious-law-how-the-lesson-from-cyprus-applies-to#comments